The present invention is directed toward gas chromatographs and, more particularly, toward field-mountable gas chromatographs.
Chromatography is the separation of a mixture of compounds (solutes) into separate components. This separation permits the composition of all or part of the mixture to be determined. In gas chromatography, a gas chromatograph (commonly called a “GC”) is utilized to separate and determine the quantities of components of a gas mixture. A gas chromatograph performs these functions by taking a sample of the gas mixture to be analyzed and injecting it into a carrier gas stream, such as helium or hydrogen, which then carries the gas sample through one or more tubes (referred to as columns) that are packed with a very fine particulate material. Each of the particles of this material are coated with a film from liquid that controls the rate at which the different components of the gas sample are absorbed and de-absorbed by the particulate material. This rate of absorption and de-absorption also varies relative to each of the different components. Because of this differing rate of absorption and de-absorption, certain gas molecules related to one type or component of gas will exit the column more quickly than some of the other components will. This process of separation of components permits a detector located at the end of the column to quantify the amount of a particular component that is present in the mixture.
Conventional field-mountable gas chromatographs are fairly large and complex devices. The size and complexity of conventional field-mountable gas chromatographs make them difficult to install, operate and service. In addition, a typical field-mountable gas chromatograph does not have an integrated display that permits an operator to view the operation of the gas chromatograph. If a conventional field-mountable gas chromatograph is provided with a display, the display is typically mounted in a housing separate from the housing for the columns and other components of the gas chromatograph.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,004,514 to Hikosa, et al. discloses a field-mountable gas chromatograph having an integrated display. The gas chromatograph of the Hikosa et al. patent, however, is a large, complex system having multiple housings.
Based on the foregoing, there is a need in the art for a more compact and user-friendly field-mountable gas chromatograph having a display. The present invention is directed to such a field-mountable gas chromatograph.